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Enterprise discovers a deuterium mining colony that is being controlled by Klingon marauders. The crew trains the colonists to defend themselves and prepare for battle against their Klingon oppressors.

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Archer, T'Pol, and Tucker make a landing at a miningcolony where they hope to make a trade for deuterium, but the colonists appear unwilling to trade even a small amount despite the fact that Enterprise has detected they have a large reserve. The colonists' leader, Tessic, states they are keeping this reserve for someone else and demands the Enterprisecrew leave immediately as the colonists are anxiously preparing for the arrival of this other ship. By offering to help with repairs to some broken deuterium pumps however, the crew manages to make themselves more welcome. After further negotiations they strike a deal to exchange power cells and medical supplies in exchange for deuterium, though only if they also manage to help repair the pumps within two days. Upon further inspection of the colony the crew learns how poor the colony is despite its deuterium riches.

Korok's ship in orbit over Tessic's colony

Korok, leader of the Klingon marauders

While the Enterprise is still in orbit around the colony, a Klingon starship arrives. Archer orders the Enterprise to hide from the Klingon ship, while he and the rest of the crew stay out of sight in the colony observing Tessic's meeting with the Klingons. The Klingons turn out not to be interested in any trade with the colony; instead, they expect to be simply given all the deuterium reserves. Because of their early arrival and the broken pumps the reserves are not at the expected level and the Klingon leader Korok turns violent against Tessic. Demanding that more deuterium be ready when they return within four days, the Klingons leave. Archer discusses the situation with Tessic, finding out that the Klingons have been bullying the colonists for some time already. While they did try to revolt, several colonists were killed in the attempt and Tessic now simply wants Enterprise to settle its deal and leave before the Klingons return.

After returning to Enterprise, Archer feels uncomfortable simply leaving the colony and wants to help. While T'Pol agrees interference would be allowable in this case, she argues it would only make matters worse for the colonists in the end as the Klingons will simply return when Enterprise is no longer around. Archer however returns to the colony to offer Enterprise's help not just to drive the Klingons off once, but to teach the colonists some self-defense.

After Tessic accepts Enterprise's help, Reed and Sato teach some of the colonists improved fire aim, while T'Pol and Mayweather teach them Vulcanweapon strike avoidance techniques. A plan is also set up to lure the Klingons into a deuterium field trap, which involves moving all of the colony's buildings.

When the Klingons return, the colonists and the Enterprise officers manage to successfully battle them and lure them into the trap, setting the field on fire to block their path. Tessic demands the Klingons to beam back to their starship and not to return as the colonists will be ready for them next time. Korok seems humiliated, denounces the colony's deuterium as worthless, not even fit for a garbage scow, and beams back. Before finally leaving the colony, the Enterprise is granted a lot more deuterium than originally agreed to in the deal as a reward for their help.

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"There's a saying on my world: 'Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.' "

- Archer, quoting a Chinese proverb during a conversation with Tessic

"I sense what you're about to say is not going to make me happy."

- Korok, to Tessic

"Klingons carry disruptors, but they prefer to use bladed weapons in combat. The two most common being the bat'leth, a curved, bilateral sword, and the mek'leth, two-pronged dagger. The bat'leth can decapitate its victim with one stroke, while the mek'leth is typically used to slash the throat... or disembowel."

This episode was inspired by the feature film The Magnificent Seven, which itself was inspired by the Japanese film Seven Samurai. The colony represents the village in that film; the deuterium represents the rice; the Enterprise crew represent the seven heroes, etc.